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I was interested in mostly the conference, but also a few sporting sporting events, too. Like, for example, swimming, diving and dance sport. I couldn't go to to watch the There was one of the conference speakers. What we give him. Give him a hand with the with the his. So I had to do that instead. Have you been to a conference like this before? No, I can't say I have. Have have you found it? I [00:00:30] found it really good. Mostly very interesting. One thing I can think of was the one yesterday afternoon. I think it was on from the news about HIV and giving us some over the state, the state of the HIV virus in firstly, Asia, then the Pacific region. Then in New Zealand. It's it's pretty bad. [00:01:00] Were there other speakers that, um, that that had a real impact on you? Use other no non health related subjects like, for example, education is is one is one that comes back that comes to mind. I've been to a few a few of those, like on all three days. That's on Wednesday, Thursday and today. Being Friday, I found them very interesting. Interesting. So I went to one of those, [00:01:30] which was about people who had had two different talks or from 22 different groups. And firstly, they had people from the Street Alliance from three or four different schools based in or who are in Nelson getting their experience. And we do. We also they they discussed with us the group. [00:02:00] What are the pros and cons of heading a guy? Straight lines. And then we had a present, a presentation or a speech from a group called Stands for Wa Youth. So that was quite interesting. They are quite different. And they they got their their own building of their own purposes in the city of Hamilton. And they had they [00:02:30] had four of their own members or young people came to come to talk to us, and they told us they cut their coming out stories, which was which was, thankfully, most mostly positive. So that that was great. That was great to hear. What do you think the, um, the the biggest things that you will take away from the conference are I, I guess, just in terms of, um, the whole experience, the [00:03:00] the experience of, uh, being with 300 other gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual people and maybe more more too. Yeah, yeah. So? So how How has that experience of being surrounded by, um, such a diverse group of people that are very positive? How have you found that? I find it great. I find it very comfortable to be to be myself and who I am and [00:03:30] and not have to pretend to be. Well, somebody I'm not like, for example, I can I can like. For example, I am I am out as a gay guy, so that's fine. I can continue being out. So that's great. Unlike other other people who might not be as out or who might not be as comfortable being out as I am one or two [00:04:00] of II I live in a in a in a a flooding situation, basically, and one or two of my flat can be nice, hard to live with sometimes, because of that, for example, that they might ask me where I'm, um, if I'm going out, they might ask me where I'm going. And so can be a challenge, sometimes telling them that I'm going to a gay event or [00:04:30] to a Rainbow event, especially with one of them who goes to to to to to Disney. Like, for example, when I was, I told one of them that I was planning to go to to the as well. He saw my, my, my my big and he he read out the the text that he read on it, which reads the scene as seven at, and he asked me, What is the out games? [00:05:00] And I explained to him what the game is is. And he asked me, Why do you need to have an out games like, Why can't just gave people why you people just go to the Olympic Games or Commonwealth Games? What do you think the biggest kind of challenges are facing queer people in New Zealand today? Uh, I wouldn't say I think it's an an issue or a challenge for me anymore [00:05:30] anymore, because I don't go to school anymore. But for people who do, homophobia and bullying can be quite a big issue or challenge for for for well, a lot of them probably. Well, I think would be if we, um if we were to skip ahead 30 years and somebody's listening back to this tape in 30 years time. What would you like to say to them? Basically, [00:06:00] you're not alone in this world. If if if you are straight or gay or bi or trans, bisexual or transgender, whatever you may be again, I say you're not alone in this world or in this community, I have been through tough times and challenges as you might too.
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